CATCHING THE TURTLE.
The sea at this place furnished us with turtle in the greatest plenty and
perfection. The green turtle is generally esteemed, by the greatest part
of those who are acquainted with its taste, to be the most delicious of
all eatables; and that it is a most wholesome food we are amply convinced
by our own experience. For we fed on it for near four months, and
consequently, had it been in any degree noxious, its ill effects could
not possibly have escaped us.
At this island we took what quantity we pleased with great facility; for
as they are an amphibious animal, and get on shore to lay their eggs,
which they generally deposit in a large hole in the sand, just above the
high-water mark, covering them up and leaving them to be hatched by the
heat of the sun, we usually dispersed several of our men along the beach,
whose business it was to turn them on their backs when they came to land;
and the turtle being thereby prevented from getting away, we carried them
off at our leisure. By this means we not only secured a sufficient stock
for the time we stayed on the island, but we took a number of them with
us to sea, which proved of great service both in lengthening out our
store of provision, and in heartening the whole crew with an almost
constant supply of fresh and palatable food. For the turtle being large,
they generally weighing about 200 pounds weight each, those we took with
us lasted us near a month, and by that time we met with a fresh recruit
on the coast of Mexico, where we often saw them in the heat of the day
floating in great numbers on the surface of the water fast asleep.
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